Barcelona winger ruled out for Mallorca clash; will not return until Copa del Rey semi-final | OneFootball

Barcelona will head into their upcoming La Liga clash against Mallorca without one of their most important attackers. 

This is because the club has decided to rest Raphinha after the Brazilian winger suffered a muscle overload, adding to a list of players currently being monitored by the medical staff.

According to a report from Mundo Deportivo, Raphinha has not trained with the group as the team began preparations for the weekend fixture. 

The forward is dealing with an overload in his right adductor muscle, and the coaching staff is unwilling to risk worsening the problem.

When will Raphinha return?

Barcelona returned to training to prepare for Saturday’s match, but Raphinha worked away from the main group. 

As a result, he is expected to miss the game against Mallorca and instead focus on regaining full fitness.

The current plan is for the winger to return for the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final next week. 

Raphinha will not play against Mallorca. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

Barcelona will discover their opponent for that tie in Friday’s draw, but the priority remains ensuring that Raphinha is fully ready for that important fixture.

Notably, the Brazilian had already missed the recent cup match against Albacete because of the same muscle issue. 

After that game, Hansi Flick admitted that the club must be careful with his recovery. 

Raphinha has dealt with a few physical setbacks this season, and he remains a key figure in the German coach’s attacking plans.

Who else will miss?

The injury situation does not end there. Pedri and Andreas Christensen are also unavailable, while Gavi is still working his way back to full fitness. 

The Spanish midfielder is in the final phase of his recovery after surgery and could rejoin the group in the coming weeks.

February 23 will mark five months since Gavi’s operation, but Barcelona are determined not to rush him. 

With several players sidelined, Flick will need to rely on the depth of his squad for the Mallorca clash.